Christian Academy Embarks On Future

New School To Be Ready For Fall '03

November 16, 2002|By BRIAN WHITSON Daily Press

JAMES CITY — It's been nearly a quarter-century since a few individuals spent long hours to develop that first dream of Williamsburg Christian Academy.

The school was housed in a few small classrooms rented from a local church. Over the years, the school grew, and so did the dream. Students moved in 1993 to the current building, rented on Waltz Farm Drive off Richmond Road in Williamsburg.

The dream continued to grow Friday, as several hundred students, parents and community members braved the cold morning to break ground on a new school in James City County.

They gathered for song, prayer and the ceremonial digging of earth at the school's future campus on 56 acres off Rochambeau Drive, next to Stonehouse Elementary School. The new $7 million two-story 65,000-square-foot building should be open for students in September.

Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible gave the keynote speech Friday.

"God has great dreams for each of us, and we must realize those dreams with all the energy, all the intellect and all the ability he has given us," Trible told the crowd. "You will be blessed for this great dream," he said.

The interdenominational Christian school, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, now has 280 students. Officials say the current location, which includes a main building of about 28,000 square feet and four trailers, has been filled to capacity for several years.

The new location will accommodate up to 550 students -- pre-kindergarten through high school -- and will include a gymnasium, athletic fields and 28 classrooms, officials said. Future plans call for a track, tennis courts and nature trails for students.

"This is incredible," Principal Walter Cross said. "We've outgrown where we are and want this opportunity to expand what we're able to offer to the community."

Lorraine Perkins, director of development, said the new school vision started about three years ago. However, the project slowed in January, when initial bids to build the school came in about $10 million -- well above the project's initial $7.5 million budget.

"We sort of had to stop in January and decide what we wanted to do," Perkins said. About $5 million has been raised in donations and pledges so far, she said.

Perkins said they then got involved with Daniel Cook and Associates, a Utah architectural firm that specializes in a faith-based program to design cost-friendly Christian schools and churches. Since then, costs have been reduced back under the budget, she said.

"They designed it to be cost-effective in every way," said Perkins, citing the use of a steel-frame design for the walls, instead of more-expensive cinder blocks. The program also calls for students and volunteers to provide support for the project.

"They're unique, and I think Williamsburg is going to be in for a real treat," she said.

Brian Whitson can be reached at 221-7220 or by e-mail at bwhitson@dailypress.com